Good Morning and Great Monday everyone!

Well it's here. This Saturday is the Pennsylvania Council of Deliberation's Annual Meeting. This year's meeting is at the Hershey Lodge and Convention Center in the 'sweetest place on Earth.'

All Valley Elected Officers, Past Presiding Officers, 33rds and MSA's are Members of the Council and have received a notice for the meeting from the Council and if able should try to attend the meeting. Valley Members who are not who are not Council members are welcome to attend the meeting as well.

The meeting begins at 1:30 PM and is presided over by the Deputy for Pennsylvania, the Valley of Philadelphia's 'Best Friend,' Ill. Russell W. Baker, 33.

Following the meeting is the Annual Banquet, at which time two of our Brothers, Past Sovereign Prince and current Hospitaler of Benjamin Franklin Consistory, Steve Bradley, 32 and our Valley's Makeup Director and member of the Reception-Stewards Committee, Norman Greene,32, will receive the Meritorious Service Award! In order to attend the Banquet you must have purchased tickets from the Council office. At this point I would imagine it is probably too late to order tickets, but if you wish to try, give me a call in the Valley Office today at 215-563-1814 and I will give you the Council's phone number and you can call and try to purchase tickets if you want. If you have a Valley Directory, the Council's number is in there on the 'Freemasonry in Pennsylvania' page.

If you are coming for the meeting and do not have or plan to get a room at the Lodge, we will have a hospitality room there and you're welcome to come hang out before and after the Council Meeting.

Congratulations again Bros. Norm and Steve! Looking forward to celebrating your well deserved Awards!

Don't forget our Valley's Family Summer Picnic on Saturday, 26 July at the Canstatter! Tickets are still available. We're going to have a great day, filled with fellowship, activities and games for the kiddos, and some for the adults as well. Lunch and Dinner will be served . Yes you read that right. TWO Meals! All for the low, low, low price, of $15 for Adults and $10 for those 12 and under! All you need to bring is a table cover, your lawn chairs if you don't want to sit at a picnic table all day, your favorite board or card games, and your SMILE.

Area Master Masons are welcome to come for FREE! That's right, FREE. They only need to pay for their families. Have you shared this information with a Masonic friend yet? I have two Master Masons coming. Did my part. Yep, I did. Not bragging, just saying.

The ONLY thing that can make this event better is having YOU and YOUR family there! Send your check, made payable to, 'Scottish Rite Bodies,' to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia. PA 19107-2520, TODAY!

Any questions or concerns about the picnic? Call me at 215-563-1814 and I'll be glad to answer them.

It's going to be a HOT one today. Don't forget to stay cool and hydrated, check on the elderly, little kids and pets.

Have a great week and I hope to see you with our Valley Delegation this Saturday in Hershey!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

I have to start this update by again asking you all to keep our Valley Brother, Andrew Dobson in your thoughts and prayers.

Bro. Andy is now in Neighborhood Hospice of Chester County Hospital, 400 Marshall Street, West Chester, PA. He is in Room No. 2403 and he has his cell phone if you wish to call him. Visitors are welcome, but you should plan to stay no longer than 15 as he gets tired very easy.

May the Grand Architect hear our prayers. Amen.

Supreme Council has announced a new benefit for Northern Masonic Jurisdiction Scottish Rite Masons and that is that they've teamed up with Alerus Financial to offer an exclusive IRA product for Scottish Rite members and their families.

Features of this product include;

Professionally managed Asset Allocation Models through Alerus Investment Advisors.

Access to low cost, no load, Institutional Share Class Mutual Funds from top Mutual Fund companies.

24/7 Online Account Access with no trading fees or sales loads.

Educational tools, newsletters, Dedicated Service Team and Financial Professionals.

Alerus Financial is a 12 billion dollar Financial Company with roots dating back to 1879.

You're invited to learn more about this exciting new member benefit, for your IRA rollover assets.

Start your rollover process at alerus.com/supremecouncil or call Alerus toll free at 800-433-1685 x6074.

By now you have or should have received your bill for your 2015 Scottish Rite Dues. For those that have already paid them, thank you for your prompt payment and more especially your continued support of our Valley.

Now, to review, you have received the bill for your 2015 Dues. Our Valley year starts on August 1st and ends on July 31st. Unlike in the past you did not receive a dues card with your bill as in February of 2012 the Supreme Council sent you and all NMJ Brethren a permanent Dues Card. If you did not receive one or lost yours, let me know I will happily order you another.

The word ASSESSMENT on your dues bill is not some diabolical conspiracy! It is simply your dues to the Supreme Council. Much like your Lodge must pay dues for you to the Grand Lodge, the Valley must pay dues to the Supreme Council as well. If you do not pay the $27 assessment/dues and pay only the $60 Valley Dues, YOU WILL BE SUSPENDED.

When I had the dues bills run we had an alarming number of Brethren that had not yet paid their 2014 Dues. They're now looking at bill for $174. If you are one of those Brethren and find that you cannot afford to pay that at one time, feel free to pay $87 now and $87 again next month. Just a suggestion. If the $87 dues are an issue and you sincerely wish to retain your Valley membership, give me a call, we can work out a plan to help you remain a member.

As I'm typing this the Right Worshipful Grand Master, Ill. Robert J. Bateman, 33, just walked into the Scottish Rite Office to pay his dues. Thank you Grand Master!

This Friday is Independence Day. I saw on the news the other day that in a recent poll a very surprising 60% of the folks polled claimed that they are not proud to be an American! Yes, that is sad news to hear. Personally, no matter how you may feel about the state of our government, our taxes, gas prices, or whatever, I believe, we live in the greatest nation in the world. Don't believe me? Take a trip outside her, and I don't mean to some beach resort in the islands. While in the service, I visited some "third world" locales and without going into detail, I will tell you this, at the end of that deployment, when I set foot on the pier the very first thing I did was hit my knees and kiss the ground. I know that sounds corny, but I did it. We are truly blessed to be Americans and we should all appreciate that. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but sometimes you just have to put it out there.

Have a safe holiday weekend everyone. Don't forget Bro. Andy. God Bless him, you, your families, our Troops, our Brethren, this wonderful fraternity, and the USA.

Dear Brethren and Friends: 

Saturday, 26 July 2014 

Canstatter Volkfest Verein

9130 Academy Road, Philadelphia, PA

12 to 5 PM

$15 for Adults $10 for Kids 12 and under

Lunch and Dinner will be served!

So far we have 48 confirmed folks for the Valley's Summer Picnic. That means that 48 people have their tickets or will receive them shortly.

How about you? Are you coming? Do you have your tickets ordered yet? Still sitting on the fence about whether or not to come? Don't be that guy that says, " I wish I had gone."

Remember, your Lodge Brother can come for FREE! But, he will have to pay for the regular prices for his family. They will need their tickets in advance.

Yes, you read that right. Philadelphia Region Master Masons are welcome to attend for FREE! Our Membership Team will be on hand to welcome them and let them know all about our upcoming 2014 Fall Class. Master Masons reading this, if you have any questions, please call 215-563-1814.

Yes, tickets must be purchased in advance. No tickets will be available at the picnic! I've heard that someone is saying that we'll be selling tickets at the picnic. Not true! Think about it. How is the Canstatter to know how many to prepare for, if we're still selling tickets the day of the event? I can say this, the food at the Canstatter is always very good and that is a credit to their excellent chefs. But, they're not magicians! They can't cook what they don't have on hand!

Get your ticket orders in soon. This is going to be a fun day. You don't want to miss it!

Make your check payable to "Scottish Rite Bodies," and send it to, Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520. Ticket order forms can be downloaded at http://www.philascottishrite.org/calendar_of_events.htm

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Don't forget our Valley's Family Summer Picnic on Saturday, July 26, 2014 in the picnic grove at Canstatter Volkfest Verein, 9130 Academy Road, Philadelphia, PA 19114. The picnic begins at 12 PM and runs until 5 PM. 

Bring your family and your non-Scottish Rite Masonic Brother and his family and join with us for this great family day! Entertainment, games, and activities for the kids all day. The young ladies of the Order of Rainbow for Girls will be our guests for the day and they will be helping out with face-painting and other activities. Our Membership Team will be on hand to welcome your Masonic Brother, who can come for FREE!

Lunch and Dinner will be provided for one price. The Lunch menu includes: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Potato Salad, Sauerkraut, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, French Fries and more. What's for Dinner? Roast Beef, Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad, Tomato Salad, Corn on the cob, plus more of your picnic favorites.

Tickets must be purchased in advance. No tickets will be available for sale at the event! Cost per person: $15 for Adults, Children 12 and under, $10, Master Mason guests are FREE  They will need to purchase tickets for their families at the regular prices and they too must have tickets in advance.

Make your check payable to "Scottish Rite Bodies" and mail it to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520.

This is going to be a great Valley Family day! Don't miss out. Hope to see you and your family there!

Our Almoner Fund t-shirt campaign ended yesterday. We achieved our goal of at least 50 shirts sold to insure the program's success. We sold a total of 54 shirts. A portion of all shirts sold will benefit our Valley's Almoner Fund, which was created to assist worthy Valley Brethren in distress. 

Thank you to all of our Brethren or Masonic Friends who purchased a shirt to support our campaign.

This was our second campaign. Stay tuned. We may do it again soon!

It's getting hot. Take it easy and remember to stay hydrated!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

Good Morning and Welcome to Thursday! Wow, where did this week go?

It's that time of year again!

Yesterday I ordered our 2015 Scottish Rite Dues billing.

Once Supreme Council runs our dues, your bill will be in the mail to you.

For our new guys, that are now saying "2015? Steve, what are you talking about? It's only June of 2014?!?!" Our, Scottish Rite fiscal year runs from August 1st to July 31st, or in other words, 2015 arrives just a wee bit earlier in Scottish Rite. HAPPY NEW YEAR! No resolutions needed. Put down the champagne, it's not even noon yet! SHEESH!

Please wait until you receive your dues bill to pay your dues and PLEASE do not forget to return your bill with your check! I need your bill to post (give you credit for paying) your dues and our auditors use the bills and dues batch posting reports when doing the audit. It's whole chain of events and we're all links in the chain! And you thought you were just a Valley member! Perish the thought! You're much more than that!

If you prefer to pay your dues online with a credit card, you can do that as well at the Supreme Council's website (scottishritenmj.org). You will have to set up an account to do that and you will need your nine digit member number which is on your dues card. Please note that if you do pay online the Valley is charged the credit card service charge, which is taken from your dues payment. In other words, we do not get your full amount! So if it is at all possible for you to pay your dues by check, money order or that good old reliable, never fail, dead President/Statesman portrait bearing,E Pluribus Unum, Masonic world domination conspiracy causing, In God We Trust, CASH, please do.

Speaking of dues cards, everyone should have their permanent dues card. It's silver or gold, if you're a life member, and looks like a credit card. If you never received one or you've lost yours contact me in the office and I will see that you receive one.

Remember, 'permanent' doesn't mean you do not have to pay your dues! Don't pay them, and I will 'permanently' suspend you until you do!

Also, and I get asked this question every year, the term "Assessment" on your dues bill is your dues to the Supreme Council. We are not assessing you for anything! Just as your Lodge must pay dues to the Grand Lodge for you, we must do the same for the Supreme Council. Our base dues are still $60, which any active member worth his salt (sorry that's the Sailor in me) will tell you, you get that back and so much more! So, your total payment should be $87. If you do not pay the $27 "assessment," I will be forced to suspend you. YES, EVEN if you paid the $60 to the Valley!

As always make your check payable to "Scottish Rite Bodies" not, "Valley of Philadelphia," or "Masonic Temple." Yes, someone does that.

Now for those of you that were the first line signer for 3 or more INITIATED candidates this past year, yes, your dues are FREE. BUT, I need some assistance from you. Return your dues bill to me with "Membership Builder" written on it. Yes, I still need your bill too! And, yes your Candidates must have been a member of either the Fall 2013 or the Spring 2014 Class in order for your dues to be FREE.

We have 5 days remaining in our Almoner Fund t-shirt sale. We must sell 50 shirts (more are always welcome of course!) to make this campaign a success. So far we've sold 42 shirts. 

Did you order one yet? If you haven't, please do! Click on over to, Valley of Philadelphia Almoner Fund and join the team!

Have a great day everyone!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

38 sold so far! We're closer to our goal of 50 with 7 days to go!

Will we make it? Did you order yours yet?

Click on over to Valley of Philadelphia Almoner Fund, get your shirt, and support our Almoner Fund today!

While we want everyone to get a t-shirt to support our Almoner Fund, please don't forget our BIG Summer event!

The Valley's Family Summer picnic is scheduled for Saturday, July 26, 2014 in the picnic grove at Canstatter Volkfest Verein, 9130 Academy Road, Philadelphia, PA 19114. The day begins at 12 PM and everything wraps up at 5.

Lunch and Dinner will be provided for one price, Adults are $15 per person and kids 12 and under are $10. 

The Lunch menu includes: Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Potato Salad, Sauerkraut, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, French Fries and all the other 'picnic fixins'

The Dinner menu has: Roast Beef, Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, Cole Slaw, Cucumber Salad, Tomato Salad, Corn on the cob and more.

Philadelphia Region Master Masons are invited to come along for free. They have to pay for their families. Our Membership Team will be on hand to talk with them about membership in the Scottish Rite. 

The young men of the DeMolay will be there as well to host games for the kids all day. We will also have activities for the adults too.

Make your check payable to "Scottish Rite Bodies" and send it to the Scottish Rite Office, Masonic Temple, One North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107-2520. 

Don't miss out on this great Valley family event!

Hey, you might even want to wear your new shirt there!

Dear Brethren and Friends:

We're at 23 shirts sold on our way to our goal of 50!

Will we make it? Will we help our fledgling Almoner Fund to be there when a Brother needs assistance?

If you haven't ordered a shirt yet or you're still on the fence, please give this some thought.

These are high quality Hanes t-shirts. It features the 32nd Degree Eagle in an emblem surrounded with "Valley of Philadelphia, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite" .

We raised $135 for the Almoner Fund with the last campaign and can expect more with this one.

It's Summer. YOU NEED A COOL T-SHIRT!'

Click on over to Valley of Philadelphia Almoner Fund and order yours today!